Plate feed means in address printers



Jan. 24, 1967 J. E. MULREED ETAL 3,299,805

PLATE FEED MEANS IN ADDRESS PRINTERS Filed July 17, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

INVENTORS JAMES E. MULREED ALFREDS oRtE/vs 1967 J. E. MULREED ETAL 3,299,805

PLATE FEED MEANS IN ADDRESS PRINTERS Filed July 17, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 20A f X l 33 32 Q /ao INVENTORS JAMES E. MULREED ALFREDs oRLENs United States Patent M 3,299,805 PLATE FEED MEANS IN ADDRESS PRINTERS James E. Mulreed, Stamford, and Alfreds Orlens, Cos Cob, C0nn., assignors to Pitney-Bowes, Inc., Stamford, Conn., a corporation of Delaware Filed July 17, 1964, Ser. No. 383,369 7 Claims. (Cl. 10165) This invention relates to an improved automatic plate feedarrangement for addresser printers. More particularly the invention relates to a novel interconnecting means between the platen actuating member and the plate feeding element of an addresser printer.

In conventional type addresser printers it is common practice to provide an interconnecting linkage between the plate printing device and the plate feeding device so that these devices may be operated in mutually timed relation. The specific construction of these linkages must in most cases be such as to.--accommodate one or more of several characteristics that are peculiar to addresser printer type machines; for example the planes and/or directions of movement of the printing plates and the printing platen are usually different, and also the platen motion in many cases requires amplification to produce the desired length of plate feed stroke. Furthermore there are certain situations such as repeat printing operations where it may be desirable to effectively disable the plate feed device during successive printing operations. To meet these and other conditions most automatic plate feed devices for addressing type machines have been relatively complex and expensive to initially produce and to maintain.

. The primary object of the present invention is to provide a very simple reliable automatic plate feed device that is operative in'response to the movement of a platen actuating means.

Another object of the invention is to provide a very low cost plate feed mechanism which may be readily enabled and disabled.

A further object of the invention is to provide a very simple low cost plate feed slide rail and block arrangement'which-reciprocates during each operative cycle of the addresser printer but which maybe selectively placed in operative and inoperative conditions for successive printing operations.

Other objects of the invention will become apparent as the disclosure progresses.

In the drawings:

1, FIG. l'is a cut away partially diagrammatic perspective view of the principal parts of the instant apparatus. FIG. v2 is a front elevational view of the instant apparatus.

FIG. '3 is a fragmentary partial sectional view illustrating the plate feed slide rail detenting unit. FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of a portion of the FIG. 3 detenting unit. FIG. 5 is a transverse sectional elevational view taken along section line 5-5 of FIG. 2 and shows the plate stack supporting means and related structure, the plate feed slide block being shown in a position near the forward end of its feed stroke.

FIGS. 6 and 7 are diagrammatic views respectively illustrating the enabled and disabled conditions of the plate feedslide block and slide rail.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2 there is shown a conventional impact type printing unit 10 that includes a base or main frame 11, a printing anvil or bed 12, a pivotally mounted print arm 13 and a fiat platen 14 which is secured to said print arm and which cooperates with said bed 12 to thereby define a-printing station 15. It will be understood that a printing plate, a carbon ribbon or the like-and a bop-y sheet are mutually superimposed and Patented Jan. 24, 1967 positioned at the printing station 15 during any given printing operation as is well understood in the art. For the purposes of clarity of the drawings these three superimposed elements as such have been omitted.

Normally a different printing or address plate is used for each successive operation of the machine and the instant invention contemplates the provision of an improved plate transport means 16 for automatically feeding successive plates to the printing station 15 in timed relation to the cyclic strokes of the print arm 13. The bed or anvil 12 as shown in FIG. 1 extends generally across the upper face of the machine base 11 and projects for some distance to the right, as seen in FIG. 2, of said base so as to define a plate guide track designated as 12a in FIG. 2. Fixed by any suitable means to the lower side of guide track 12a is a main frame plate 20, FIGS. 2 and 5, to the upper and outer portion of which is fastened a plate stack supporting pad 21 that is dimensioned and positioned so as to be longitudinally coextensive with the adjacent end of the said plate track 12a. Mounted on the main plate 20 at each end of pad 21 are two horizontally spaced and vertically disposed plate stack retaining members 22 and 23;. the members 22 and 23 being vertically grooved as indicated at 24 and 25 respectively so as to thereby effectively define a plate stack receiving hopper 26. The grooved members 22, 23 permit the slidable reception of a vertical stack of addresser printer plates and prevent any substantial amount of horizontal movement of the stacked plates while the latter are in said hopper. As is best shown in FIG. 5 the groove plate retaining member 22 is formed at its lower edge with a bridge type opening 27 to allow the lowermost plate in the hopper to be pushed endwise along the pad 21 out of the hopper and onto the plate guide track 1211.

Mounted for cooperation with hopper 26 and the plate track is a plate feed slide block 30 which is slidably mounted on a rod or slide rail 31 and which is provided with a short upstanding blade type plate feed finger 32 that is adapted to engage the outer end of each successive lowermost plate and advance the latter toward the print station 15 as will be hereinafter explained. The stack retaining member 22 and the main frame plate 20 are suitably slotted, as shown at 33 in FIG. 5, so as to accommodate the longitudinal reciprocating movement of the feed finger 32. The slide rail 31 is mounted on two depending frame brackets 34 and 35 that are fixed by any suitable fastening means to the lower side of the main frame plate 20. Means are provided for cyclical-1y reciprocating the plate feed slide block 30; such means including a crank arm 36 that is rotatably mounted on a first upstanding stud shaft 37 that is fixed to the lower horizontal portion of the frame bracket 34. The outer end of crank arm 36 is articulately connected to one end of a connecting rod 38 that has its other end in turn articulately connected to said slide block 30. A gear 40 is also mounted on shaft 37 and is rotatably fastened to said crank arm 36 through a tubular element 41. A gear segment 42 which meshes with gear 40 is pivotally mounted on frame bracket 34 by means of a second upstanding stud shaft 43 and is articulately connected to one end of a link 44 that has its other end in turn articulately connected to the outer end of a second crank arm 45. The crank arm 45 is rotatably fixed to a shaft 46 which is rotatably mounted by any suitable means in the machine base 11 and to which is rotatably secured the said print arm 13 of the addresser printer. A spring means not shown serves to bias the print arm to the normal elevated position shown in FIGS. 1 and 2; the plate feed mechanism thus also being biased to the normal condition also illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2.

As will be apparent -an oscillating movement of the print arm 13 will 'through crank arm 45, link 44, segment 42, gear 40, crank arm 36 and connecting rod 38 produce a reciprocating motion of the plate feed slide block 30. During movement to the left, as seen in FIG. 2, of the slide block finger 32 the leading vertical edge thereof will engage and advance the lowermost plate in hopper 26 onto the plate track 12a and toward the printing station 15 as is diagrammatically illustrated in FIG. 6. It will be noted that for a normal cyclic movement of print arm 13 the crank arm 36 will partake of substantially 180 degrees of rotation thereby imparting a harmonic type reciprocating movement to said slide block whereby the plate feed acceleration and deceleration occurring at each end of the slide block strokes is gradual and controlled as is desired.

In the normal operation of the apparatus above described each plate in the stack 47, FIG. 1, is in turn advanced first from the plate hopper 26 to an intermediate position between the hopper 26 and the printing station 15, and is then advanced during the next machine cycle from said intermediate position to the said printing station. In the next following machine cycle the plate is advanced out of the printing station and into a second plate receiving tray or hopper not shown. The advancing movement of each successive lowermost plate in hopper 26 pushes the plates ahead of it through their respective above mentioned advancing movements. The plate feed timing here is such that when the print arm 13 is depressed the next plate arrives and is positioned at the printing station 15 just before the platen 14 impacts against said plate. To obtain this phase relationship the plate feed linkage is arranged so that movement of the slide block 30 is completed before the printing engagement of the platen 14 with the print receiving materials so that at the moment of printing impact the slide block 30 will have started a slight movement in a reverse direction. Of course the plate just advanced to the printing station will not follow this slight reverse motion of the block 30 but will remain in the printing station which defines the limit of plate advance movement for any given machine cycle. After the printing operation has been effected the spring actuated upward movement of the print arm 13 will cause the slide block 30 to be returned to its normal FIG. 2 position preparatory for its next cyclic plate advancing movement. It will be noted that the upper edge of the plate feed finger 32 is bevelled or tapered as shown in FIG. 2 so that on the return stroke of slide block said tapered edge can move back under the new lowermost plate in the hopper and if any slight interference exists the plate stack will simply be temporarily cammed upwardly to a slight degree until said finger reaches its said normal FIG. 2 position whereupon said new lowermost plate may immediately drop into position on pad 21 so as to be picked up by the next forward stroke of said finger.

During use of the above described apparatus there are occasions when it may be desirable to effect a printing movement of the print arm 13 without advancing the next plate into the printing station 15. One situation when this might be necessary is Where two or more impressions are to be successively made from the same plate. Here a means must be provided for temporarily disabling the plate feed action so that a desired plate may remain at the print station for more than one machine cycle. The instant apparatus provides a very simple efficient low cost means to produce this function. In general a plate feed disabling action is obtained here by efiectively lowering the slide rail 31 so that the plate feed finger 32 of the feed block 30 cannot, during its feed strokes, vertically reach the lowermost plate in the hopper. Under these conditions when print arm 13 is actuated the feed finger although still being reciprocated will not advance the said lowermost plate, this disabled condition being diagrammatically illustrated in FIG. 7. The structural arrangement provided here for variably positioning the rod or slide rail 31 allows the slide rail to be rocked about its inner end and to be detentingly held at its outer end. Specifically, the slide rail is formed at its inner end with a reduced elongated axial projection 50, FIG. 2, which extends through an aperture of slightly larger diameter formed in the frame bracket 34. The outer end of the slide rail is formed with a reduced cylindrical portion 51 and an adjacent cylindrical detent portion 52 that is normally disposed in an upper circular portion 53, FIG. 4, of a figure-8 type of aperture 54 formed in the frame bracket 35. A correspondingly shaped and positioned aperture 55 is formed in the machine cover 56. A ferrule 57 is slidably mounted on rail 31 and has an effective axial length greater than that of said reduced rail portion 51, said ferrule surrounding said rail reduced portion and abutting the inner side of the frame bracket 35. The slide rail is biased by means of a spring 64 to a normal inner axial position determined by engagement of the inner rail shoulder 61, FIG. 2, with the adjacent side of the frame bracket 34, the spring 60 being operatively disposed between the ferrule flange 62, FIG. 3 and a Washer 63 that axially abuts an E ring 64 or similar element that is axially secured to the slide rail. In the normal axial position of rail 31 the cylindrical detent portion 52 thereof is detentingly positioned in said circular aperture portion 53 whereby the slide rail is secured to an elevated position so that the reciprocating movement of feed block 30 is effective to advance printing plates from the hopper 26 toward the print station as is illustrated in FIG. 6. When it is desired to disable the plate feed action in order to obtain the above mentioned print repeat operations knob 65, fastened to the outer exposed end of the rail 31, is grasped and pulled.

outwardly against the action of spring 60 so that the cylindrical rail portion 52 moves out of aperture 54 and the reduced rail portion 51 moves into said aperture 54. The outer end of the rail is then free to. be moved downwardly, the reduced rai-l portion 51 moving through the relatively narrow intermediate portion 66, FIG. 4, of aperture 54 and into the lower circular portion 67 of said aperture. Release of the knob 65 will allow spring 60 to move said rail axially so that said cylindrical rail portion 52 moves into detentingly relation with said lower circular portion 67 of the aperture. The slide rail will now be in a lowered position and the cyclic reciprocation of the feed block 30 will be ineffectual to advance plates from said hopper toward said print station, this disabled condition beingv illustratedin FIG. 7. The axial length of projection 50 is of course made greater than the length of axial movement required here for slide rail 31.

It will be apparent that the above described apparatus may be etliciently operated and controlled, i.e. once the slide rail has been selectively positioned in a plate feed enabling or disabling position, the operators right hand is free to actuate the print arm 13 while the print receiving materials may be manipulated with the left hand. In addition the relatively simple and rugged construction of the instant machine has been found to afford-reliable opera-tion over extended periods of use.

Since many changes could be made in the embodiment of the invention as particularly described and shown herein without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that this embodiment be considered as exemplary and that the invention not be limited except as warranted by the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In an addresser printer:

a frame;

a printing plate guide track mounted on said frame;

a printing plate hopper mounted on said frame adjacent one end of said plate track;

a printing platen mounted on said frame for movement relative to said track;

an actuating linkage for said platen;

means responsive to the movement of the platen ac.-

tuating linkage for advancing individual printing plates from. said hopper and along said track;

said means including a slide rail mounted on said frame;

a plate feed block slidably mounted on said rail;

a crank arm rotatably mounted on said frame;

link means articulately interconnecting the outer end of said crank arm to said feed block;

a gear coupled for rotation with said crank arm;

a gear segment pivotally mounted on said frame and meshing with said gear;

means connected to said printing platen actuating linkage for oscillating said gear segment to an extent such that said crank arm is pivoted through substantially one half revolution during each operative stroke of said platen; and

means for mounting said rail for pivotal movement between two positions on said frame so that in one position of the rail said block is operative to advance plates from said hopper and along said track and in the other position of said rail said block is inoperative to so advance said plates.

2. In an addresser printer:

a frame;

a printing plate guide track mounted on said frame;

a printing plate hopper mounted on said frame adjacent one end of said plate track;

a printing platen mounted on said frame for movement relative to said track;

a slide rail member;

a plate feed block slidably mounted on said rail member and operated concomitantly with said platen to cyclically advance plates from said hopper and along said track;

means for movably mounting said rail member so that the latter may be located in either of two positons on said frame, said plate feed block when said rail member is in one of said positions being operative to advance plates from said hopper and along said track and when said rail member is in the other of said positions said block being inoperative to so advance said plates; and

detent means for securing said rail member in each of said two positions.

3. Apparatus as defined by claim 2 wherein the slide block is provided with a plate engaging feed finger and said slide rail member is swingably mounted so as to be positionable in an upper enabling position and a lower disabling position.

4. Apparatus as defined by claim 2 wherein the inner end of said rail member is articulately mounted on said frame while the outer end of said rail member is capable of partaking of adjusting movement toward and away from the plane of said plate guide track.

5. Apparatus as defined by claim 4 wherein said detent means is arranged to be placed in a release condition by movement of said rail member in one axial direction and to be placed in a secured condition by movement of said rail member in the opposite axial direction.

6. In an addresser printer:

a frame;

a plate guide track mounted on said frame;

a printing plate hopper mounted on said frame adjacent one end of said track;

a printing arm swingably mounted on said frame;

a flat printing platen secured to said printing arm;

means responsive to the movement of said printing arm for advancing printing plates from said hopper and along said track;

said means including a slide rail;

a plate feed block slidably mounted on said rail;

a crank arm rotatably mounted on said frame;

a link means articulately interconnecting said crank arm and said slide block;

a gear coupled for rotation with said crank arm;

a gear segment pivotally mounted on said frame and meshing with said gear;

link means interconnecting said gear segment and said printing arm;

means for supporting one end of said slide rail on said frame for pivotal and axial movement while the other end of said slide rail is capable of partaking of adjusting movement toward and away from the plane of said track; and

detent means for releasably securing said other end of said slide rail in enabling and disabling positions, said detent means being arranged to be placed in a release condition by movement of the slide rail in one axial direction and to be placed in a secured condition by movement of said slide rail in the opposite axial direction.

7. Apparatus as defined by claim 6 wherein said means for supporting the inner end of said slide rail includes a reduced axial extension formed on the said inner end of the rail, said extension being disposed in a slightly larger aperture formed in said frame.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,137,066 4/1915 Lee 101--65 1,769,138 7/1930 Johnson 10-165 1,850,922 3/1932 Chisholm 10165 1,913,890 6/1933 Krell 101-65 1,992,663 2/1935 Gollwitzer 101--67 WILLIAM B. PENN, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN AN ADDRESSER PRINTER: A FRAME; A PRINTING PLATE GUIDE TRACK MOUNTED ON SAID FRAME; A PRINTING PLATE HOPPER MOUNTED ON SAID FRAME ADJACENT ONE END OF SAID PLATE TRACK; A PRINTING PLATEN MOUNTED ON SAID FRAME FOR MOVEMENT RELATIVE TO SAID TRACK; AN ACTUATING LINKAGE FOR SAID PLATEN; MEANS RESPONSIVE TO THE MOVEMENT OF THE PLATEN ACTUATING LINKAGE FOR ADVANCING INDIVIDUAL PRINTING PLATES FROM SAID HOPPER AND ALONG SAID TRACK; SAID MEANS INCLUDING A SLIDE RAIL MOUNTED ON SAID FRAME; A PLATE FEED BLOCK SLIDABLY MOUNTED ON SAID RAIL; A CRANK ARM ROTATABLY MOUNTED ON SAID FRAME; LINK MEANS ARTICULATELY INTERCONNECTING THE OUTER END OF SAID CRANK ARM TO SAID FEED BLOCK; A GEAR COUPLED FOR ROTATION WITH SAID CRANK ARM; A GEAR SEGMENT PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ON SAID FRAME AND MESHING WITH SAID GEAR; MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID PRINTING PLATEN ACTUATING LINKAGE FOR OSCILLATING SAID GEAR SEGMENT TO AN EXTENT SUCH THAT SAID CRANK ARM IS PIVOTED THROUGH SUBSTANTIALLY ONE HALF REVOLUTION DURING EACH OPERATIVE STROKE OF SAID PLATEN; AND MEANS FOR MOUNTING SAID RAIL FOR PIVOTAL MOVEMENT BETWEEN TWO POSITIONS ON SAID FRAME SO THAT IN ONE POSITION OF THE RAIL SAID BLOCK IS OPERATIVE TO ADVANCE PLATES FROM SAID HOPPER AND ALONG SAID TRACK AND IN THE OTHER POSITION OF SAID RAIL SAID BLOCK IS INOPERATIVE TO SO ADVANCE SAID PLATES. 